RHS1 Connector – May 2006

FEATURE FUN FACT

Artificial Gems are not just imitations of real gems. While they are man made, they are structurally and chemically identical to those found in nature. Attempts at making artificial diamonds have for the most part been unsuccessful; however, a few small stones have been produced recently.

OLD CHARTER SAN SALVADOR TREASURE UPDATE

Above Image: OLD CHARTER SALVAGE, Inc

If you have been following the newsletter, you know that Old Charter salvage has been approved to recover the treasure and that the excavation will begin soon. This will be a record breaking treasure and a large bit of history. Don Patterson and his crew are dedicated to archaeological preservation, so along with some dazzling treasures, we can be assured of some hugely interesting historical data as well. It will be an extremely exciting dig for all of us.

If you would like to read about some of the trials, tribulations, and considerations of the major treasure hunters, there is an excellent rendition of what the realities of the hunt are at:

Rock Hound Station 1
Global Rockhound Community

RHS1 Club News

It’s been a fairly slow month for RHS1. We are adding a few merchants to the Shopper’s Guide and have removed SnapFish. The front page will be undergoing some change as well.

I have been getting emails with some extremely large pictures in them and would like to ask members to please either resize pictures before they send them or send only one at a time as I am on dial up service and these pictures can take a very long time to download. I recently got an email so large that it took over a half an hour to load. Thanks for your cooperation in this matter. It is appreciated.

Members, please remember that you are welcome to submit your own news to the newsletter. We would love travel articles about your own areas. Deadline for submissions is the 30th of each month, but it is great if you can submit earlier than that so we know what we have to work with.

It looks like rockhound season is just about on us here in the great Northwest. We’ll all be waiting to hear about your trips out and see pictures of your finds. Have fun out there.

image credit: Wikipedia

TRAVEL: Washington

As most of my members know, I have just made an extremely exciting move to the Columbia Gorge, Washington, so I thought I would dedicate this month’s travel article to this area of the world.

The Columbia Gorge is one of the world’s most beautiful areas. Mountain Peaks, lush green forests, Streams, waterfalls, and of course the Columbia River itself give a rich view of nature at it’s finest from anywhere in the gorge that you are standing. There is much prime territory for rockhounds from the coast of the Pacific to the Cascade mountain range. Agates take many forms. There are the famous Ellensburg blue agates of which some are a solid blue and others magnificently lined and patterned, and recently a gold moss and plume in blue have been found in the High Rock, Tower Hill area. Petrified wood is the Washington State Stone, and as such beautiful specimens are to be found in areas scattered throughout the state.

Location Columbia Gorge image credit: Wikipedia

Jaspers and quartz crystals can be found in abundance and for those with an eye for the past fossils can also be found in many localities. While I have only been here a few days I have been able to sniff out information about opal deposits near Carson. Of course, I will be checking that information out very soon for myself.

For those that like other entertainments while on the rock trails, the Gorge offers a host of activities for the traveler to enjoy including a few wonderful hot springs resorts – just the thing to loosen up those poor tired rockhound muscles after an exciting dig.

For those of you traveling through the Columbia Gorge, I hope that you drop me an email and look me up when you get here. Who knows what sites I will find to tell you about in the meantime?

Rock Hound Station 1
Global Rockhound Community

ROCKHOUND RECIPES & TIPS

May 2006 – Use alcohol or fruit juice to marinate meat for several hours or overnight. Build your fire when you are ready to eat. Pour yourself a drink, retrieve your meat, flip it on the grill, turn once and serve. Toast yourself and bow to your guests. …

1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a large zipper-style plastic bag, mixing well.
2. Add the steak; seal bag securely, removing as much air as possible, and place in a large bowl. Marinate for 8 hours or overnight in refrigerator, turning occasionally.
3. Remove steak from marinade, reserving marinade.
4. Grill, uncovered, over medium-hot coals (350- 400 degrees F) 5-6 minutes on each side or until desired doneness, basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Discard any remaining marinade.
5. To serve, slice steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices.
6. Serves 6.

1. Combine all of the ingredients except the steaks in a shallow baking dish.
2. Add the steaks and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours, turning steaks halfway through marinating time.
3. Preheat the grill until coals are gray to white. Remove steaks from the marinade and place on lightly oiled grill.
4. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, then turn. Continue grilling until steaks reach the desired degree of doneness.
5. Serve immediately.

Keep on Rocking in the Free World!

Eileen Trainor is a writer, webmaster and marketer.
Visit Eileen’s Blogspot and her marketing blog

Travel Tales:

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“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” H. Jackson Brown, Jr”.

Rock Hound Station 1
Global Rockhound Community

FEATURE ARTICLE – SERIAL

METAPHYSICS AND THE HISTORY OF MINERALS

THIS MONTH’S GEM; JADE

Zodiac: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Libra

. There are two different minerals which we know as jade, nephrite and jadeite. Of the two, jadeite is the preferred stone, being a bit harder than nephrite with a bit more vivid color and higher quality translucency. Jadeite commands a higher price than nephrite.

The modern term “jade” comes from Spanish “la piedra de la ijada” which means “stone for the loins” and the word Nephrite comes from Greek “nephros” which means “kidney. Both of these terms refer to the belief that jade is a cure for kidney and elimination systems.

The use of jade by humans has been traced back to about 5,500 BC. It is most prominently known to have been a sacred Oriental stone. In China the stone was held sacred and was used in burial ritual as the stone was believed to aid in bridging the spiritual and physical realms. It was believed to bless all that came in contact with it, and was widely used in ornamentation. In India the stone also was held in sacred reverence and carved ornamentally and used in ritual. In Neolithic Europe, because of it’s strength and hardness the stone was used mainly for weapons.

During the Bronze age the early European cultures forgot about jade as metals came into use and only when explorers came to the new world to discover natives using jade was the stone adapted again in the European cultures. In the ancient Aztec and Mayan called it the “stone of magic” and it was considered more valuable than gold. Romans and Greeks held the stone in spiritual reverence as well. Many modern cultures still value jade for spiritual purposes, and others use it widely for ornamentation.

Medicinally jade has been used to alleviate kidney stones and ailments and to strengthen and balance the liver, spleen, stomach, and colon. It is believed to promote good overall health, balance the systems, and purify the blood. The stone is thought to promote longevity.

Metaphysically jade is an aide in accessing the spiritual planes. It produces a balance between the physical, mental, and spiritual being. By balancing the total being, jade acts as a catalyst to actualizing your ideas and goals and aids in attaining achievement and wealth. It promotes courage, compassion, and justice. Sleeping with jade underneath your pillow is said to encourage memories of your dreams and aid in fulfillment of aspirations. Known as the stone of good luck, it is also thought to give magical protection to the owner.

A gift of Jade is a gift of protection, enlightenment, attainment, and blessing.